According to the British norm BS 7925-1: bug--generic term for fault, failure, error, human action that produces an incorrect result.
Robert Vanderwall offers these formal definitions from IEEE 610.1. The
sub-points are his own.
mistake (an error): A human action that produces an incorrect result.
- mistake made in translation or interpretation.
- lots of taxonomies exist to describe errors.
fault: An incorrect step, process or data definition.
- manifestation of the error in implementation
- this is really nebulous, hard to pin down the 'location'
failure: An incorrect result.
bug: An informal word describing any of the above. (Not IEEE)
I have seen these arbitrary definitions:
Error: programmatically mistake leads to error.
Bug: Deviation from the expected result.
Defect: Problem in algorithm leads to failure.
Failure: Result of any of the above.
Compare those to these arbitrary definitions:
Error: When we get the wrong output i.e. syntax error, logical error
Fault: When everything is correct but we are not able to get a result
Failure: We are not able to insert any input
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bug
Also
Error : A discrepancy between a computed, observed, or measured value or condition and the true, specified, or theoretically correct value or condition. See: anomaly, bug, defect, exception, and fault
Failure: The inability of a system or component to perform its required functions within specified performance requirements. See: bug, crash, exception, fault.
Bug: A fault in a program which causes the program to perform in an unintended or unanticipated manner. See: anomaly, defect, error, exception, fault.
Fault: An incorrect step, process, or data definition in a computer program which causes the program to perform in an unintended or unanticipated manner. See: bug, defect, error, exception.
Defect: Mismatch between the requirements.
Robert Vanderwall offers these formal definitions from IEEE 610.1. The
sub-points are his own.
mistake (an error): A human action that produces an incorrect result.
- mistake made in translation or interpretation.
- lots of taxonomies exist to describe errors.
fault: An incorrect step, process or data definition.
- manifestation of the error in implementation
- this is really nebulous, hard to pin down the 'location'
failure: An incorrect result.
bug: An informal word describing any of the above. (Not IEEE)
If you want the above in simple text:-
A defect is for something that normally works, but it has something out-of-spec. On the other hand a Bug is something that was considered but not implemented, for whatever reasons.I have seen these arbitrary definitions:
Error: programmatically mistake leads to error.
Bug: Deviation from the expected result.
Defect: Problem in algorithm leads to failure.
Failure: Result of any of the above.
Compare those to these arbitrary definitions:
Error: When we get the wrong output i.e. syntax error, logical error
Fault: When everything is correct but we are not able to get a result
Failure: We are not able to insert any input
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bug
Also
Error : A discrepancy between a computed, observed, or measured value or condition and the true, specified, or theoretically correct value or condition. See: anomaly, bug, defect, exception, and fault
Failure: The inability of a system or component to perform its required functions within specified performance requirements. See: bug, crash, exception, fault.
Bug: A fault in a program which causes the program to perform in an unintended or unanticipated manner. See: anomaly, defect, error, exception, fault.
Fault: An incorrect step, process, or data definition in a computer program which causes the program to perform in an unintended or unanticipated manner. See: bug, defect, error, exception.
Defect: Mismatch between the requirements.
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